Children and teens are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in a variety of ways. In addition to ruining their school year, it has also taken a toll on their peer socialization, emotional and anxiety levels, and their disconnection with family and loved ones. Parents need to keep a watchful eye on any new and changing developments in their children’s behavior during this time. Children and teens typically react in the way they see their parents and other adults they trust to respond to situations. A significant difference can be made in the way they cope during these times if parents stay calm and implement helpful routines and regiments in the home to make them feel secure.
One of the things parents must do early on is finding out what their children already know. Parents can then advise the details that are safe for them to know and reassure them that they are in safe hands and are being protected. This is most important in the case of teens since they have access to social media, news outlets, and misinformation. Parents need to be mindful of what younger children hear or see on television and radio. They can misinterpret what they have already heard and become frightened by it.
Another equally serious matter to address besides finding out what they know is the issue of anxiety and depression. Being socially disconnected from family and peers can create a variety of emotions. In some cases, teens and children may experience burnout and exhaustion and become mentally and emotionally depleted. Some of the behaviors to watch for are:
- Excessive sadness or lack of motivation
- Poor class participation and not doing assignments.
- Shutting down in their room and excessive sleeping
- Irritability and acting out, especially in teens.
- Crying when it is time to do schoolwork, especially small children.
- Poor eating habits
If any of these changes in behavior occur it is very important to act quickly so that matters do not get worse. Especially since we have no idea how long this pandemic will last. Some ways parents can support their children is by planning fun activities and family time on days that there is no school such as playing board games, playing music, or telling jokes. Allow them to have Zoom or FaceTime gatherings with their family and friends. If they are still not coping it will be a good idea to seek outside professional help. For additional assistance, the following website may be helpful. https://childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents/#coping
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While I’m not exactly a “child” in the traditional sense, I relate a lot to the negative aspects that this pandemic has brought. I’ve gotten sadder, my grades have dropped, I feel way less motivation than before (if that was even possible), and something that really helped me was engaging in online communities and finding fun hobbies like trying new games, watching new genres of tv/movies, listening to different music, and even doing (bad) art. I’d definitely suggest parents clear the air with their kids and allow them the freedom to have new hobbies to help cope with the pandemic!
Thank you so much for this post. I have a preteen and school aged child at home. It has been somewhat of a struggle over the past two months because we moved to a new city. They seem to be adjusting to it well, but I noticed a few changes with my oldest. I will continue to monitor her behavior, but it’s good to have resources in case they are needed.